Top 12 Sự thật đặc sắc về loài sóc

1. General characteristics

Squirrel, a small animal with sizes ranging from 7-10cm to 50-75cm, and weight from 10g to 8kg. Small body, thick spine, big eyes, curved and sharp claws. Soft fur, diverse colors. The hind legs are longer, with 4 or 5 toes. Multi-purpose tail keeps balance, protects from sun and rain and keeps warm. General characteristics:

• Common name: Squirrel
• Scientific name: Sciuridae
• Mammalia
• Diet: Omnivore
• Size: 12-90 cm (depends on species)
• Weight: 0.5-1.8 kg
• Red Book: Not rated

General characteristics

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2. The specialness among squirrel species

The African dwarf squirrel, the smallest squirrel in the world, is only 13 cm from nose to tail, in contrast, the giant squirrel in India is up to 90 cm in size.

The squirrel’s four front teeth constantly grow, they constantly gnaw. Tree squirrels often jump from tree to tree, while ground squirrels live in burrows or tunnels and eat nuts, leaves, and insects. They can work in flocks and warn each other by whistling.

Tree squirrels live in many environments, from mountains and forests to city parks, and like to jump to the ground to find food. Food includes nuts, acorns, berries, flowers, tree bark, eggs and even baby birds. Tree sap is also their favorite food.

Flying squirrels, although unable to fly, are capable of jumping long distances. When jumping, they can stretch their wings and limbs and jump 45m away. Flying squirrels live in nests or tree holes, eating nuts, fruits, insects and even baby birds.

Differences between squirrel species

3. Classification of squirrels

Squirrels belong to the order Rodentia, divided into 5 subfamilies with nearly 280 species. There are many species of squirrels such as ground squirrels, tree squirrels, chipmunks, golden-haired squirrels, flying squirrels… Flying squirrels cannot fly for long, they only glide from tree to tree with each flight about 90m. Rock squirrels live in rocky mountains, golden squirrels eat seeds, insects and fungi, and eastern gray squirrels have gray fur and large tails. Red squirrels live in trees and eat seeds and fruits.

Squirrels around the world are mainly omnivores, eating seeds and fruits. There are also tropical species that eat insects and have small bones.

Classification of squirrels

4. Eating and reproductive habits of squirrels

Squirrels primarily eat grass, seeds, and fruits, but many species also eat insects and even small vertebrates. The teeth of rodents develop throughout their lives, with large incisors for gnawing and molars for chewing. Squirrels have good eyesight and sensory systems, which help them live in trees.

Squirrels breed 1-2 times a year, the young are born naked, cared for by the mother. The young are nursed around 6-10 weeks of age and become independent by the end of their first year.

Species that live on the ground often live in groups, while species that live in trees are often solitary.

When the nest is threatened, the mother squirrel quickly moves her babies to a safe location and can create a new nest.

Eating and reproductive habits of squirrels

5. Characteristic appearance

The Squirrel family, from as small as the African dwarf squirrel to as large as the Indian giant squirrel, has a slender body, bushy tail and large eyes. The coat is soft and silky, and the color varies between species. The hind legs are longer than the front legs, have 4-5 toes and soft soles on the underside.

Squirrels live in all environments, from rain forests to deserts, eating mainly plants such as seeds and fruits, but some species also eat insects and small animals. Squirrels’ teeth grow throughout their lives, with large incisors for gnawing and molars for chewing.

Squirrels have good eyesight and sensory systems, especially important for species that live in trees. They breed 1-2 times/year, the young are born naked and are cared for by the mother. The young are nursed for about 6-10 weeks and become independent by the end of the first year.

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Species that live on the ground often live in groups, while species that live in trees are usually solitary.

When the nest is threatened, the mother squirrel quickly moves her babies to a safe location and can create a new nest.

Characteristic appearance

6. Squirrels use snake skin to deceive their enemies

California ground squirrels and rock squirrels perform a clever trick to deceive their enemies: they chew rattlesnake skin and then apply it to their fur. UC Davis research shows that squirrels, especially female and young squirrels, often use this tactic to blind predators or competitors.

Barbara Clucas, a graduate student in zoological behavior at UC Davis, observed and recorded this behavior. Female and young squirrels often use dried pieces of snake skin, chew them and apply them to their fur to get the smell of snakes. This behavior helps squirrels hide their true scent, especially when they sleep at night or want to warn of the presence of snakes in their burrows.

Not only do they chew snake skin, squirrels also use the smell from rocks or places where snakes have been to create scent. This is a smart tactic to protect yourself against rattlesnakes. Squirrels also have other tricks such as heating their tails to send warning signals to snakes, assessing the level of danger by sound and showing a brave attitude to confront snakes.

Squirrels use snake skin to deceive their enemies

7. Flying squirrels can fly up to 90m

Squirrel Glaucomys volans, a wingless but flightless squirrel, performs a delicate glide through the air. Active mainly at night, they hide in burrows or nests in trees during the day. Flying squirrels often invade the nests of other squirrels as ‘hiding places’. In their nests, they use bark, moss, lichen, and feathers to create a comfortable resting place.

The squirrel species Glaucomys volans has a mating season from February to March. After a gestation period of about 40 days, the female squirrel gives birth to 2-6 young in a warm nest. Young squirrels need 10 weeks to nurse before they can fly among the trees.

Adult male squirrels have an average length of about 25cm, tail length of 12cm, weight 79g. They are capable of flying up to 90m in one glide, using skin membranes between their limbs and ankles. Squirrels often forage for food in trees such as fruit, bark, lichen, and fungi, and only fly when there is danger from predators or owls.

Flying squirrels prefer foods such as insects, bird eggs and small animals. Usually solitary, but can gather in areas with food. During the fall, they store food in tree trunks for use during the winter. Although they do not hibernate, activity decreases as winter approaches.

Flying squirrels can fly up to 90m

Like many other wild animals, consuming squirrel meat can carry health risks due to high levels of pollution or toxic waste. In 2007, the community of New Jersey, USA, warned people, especially children and pregnant women, to limit eating squirrels after a lead-tainted squirrel was discovered near the Ringwood Mines landfill.

Toxic waste from this landfill has posed a long-term health risk, and squirrel hunting and consumption of squirrel meat has become a tradition in some communities. In 1997, doctors in Kentucky warned about the dangers of eating squirrel brains, a local popular food. In the western US, research has found high rates of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a serious disorder that causes dementia and death, linked to eating squirrels.

Some people maintain special rituals for preparing and eating squirrel brain, while others avoid eating it altogether.

Squirrels are also poisonous

9. Red squirrels are about to become extinct

According to a new study by British scientists, Red Squirrels will disappear completely in the next 20 years. Oxford University reports that Red Squirrel numbers have declined by more than 50% over the past half century due to urban expansion, failed government conservation efforts, and competition with Gray Squirrels. In just 20 years, we may no longer be able to admire this animal.

Red squirrels, or Eurasian squirrels, are arboreal omnivores, belonging to the genus Sciurus. They have a body length of 19-23cm and weigh about 250-340g.

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In addition to the Red Squirrel, the European Hedgehog, Squirrel, hare, and wildcat are also facing the risk of extinction. The number of European hedgehogs has dropped dramatically from 30 million in the 1950s to 15 million, according to a report by the Oxford University Wildlife Conservation Society.

Although many British mammals have declined significantly over the past 25 years, some others have stabilized and even increased in recent decades, such as voles and otters.

Red squirrels are about to become extinct

10. Top 5 squirrel species in danger of extinction in the Vietnam Red Book

The Vietnam Animal Red Book list includes animal species included in the Vietnam Red Book under different levels of threat. Among them are species that only appear in Vietnam, nowhere else in the world. Below are squirrel species that are facing the risk of extinction in Vietnam as well as globally.

Hairy-eared flying squirrel: This squirrel species, scientific name Belomys pearsonii, belongs to the Squirrel family, Rodent order. First described by Gray in 1842.

Small flying squirrel: Also known as the Indochinese flying squirrel or Phayre’s flying squirrel, with the scientific name Hylopetes phayrei. Is a mammal belonging to the Squirrel family, Rodent order, distributed in China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. Described by Blyth in 1859.

Star flying squirrel: The star flying squirrel (Petaurista elegans) is a rodent distributed in China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal and Vietnam.

Big black squirrel: With the scientific name Ratufa bicolor, big black squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Ratufa. Distributed from northern Bangladesh, northeast India, eastern Nepal, Bhutan, southern China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam to western Indonesia.

Red squirrel: Red squirrel, or Eurasian red squirrel, scientific name Sciurus vulgaris, is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus, Squirrel family, Rodent order. Linnaeus described the species in 1758. Red squirrels are arboreal and omnivorous, widespread throughout Eurasia. In Great Britain and Ireland, red squirrel numbers have declined sharply due to the introduction of the Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) from North America. Recent studies indicate a rapid population decline of this species.

Contraception for gray squirrels

11. Contraception for gray squirrels

To control the rapid proliferation of gray squirrels, American scientists have come up with a unique method: lacing birth control pills into sunflower seeds, their favorite food.

To combat gray squirrel infestations on farms and residential areas, scientists want to use birth control pills to control their reproduction. However, the problem is how to get gray squirrels to take medicine effectively, when the size of the medicine is too large for their throats.

Faced with this challenge, the research team proposed two options: using vaccines to block reproductive hormones or reducing cholesterol levels, a substance related to sex hormones, in the gray squirrel’s body. Using vaccines has the advantage that just one injection can maintain its effect for many years, but catching squirrels and injecting them is a difficult job.

Before applying the DiazaCon method, the research team conducted detailed research for nearly 10 years on the effects of this substance on gray squirrels. They have spent millions of dollars to preserve and restore trees damaged by squirrels. DiazaCon is laced with black sunflower seeds, a favorite of gray squirrels, at their frequent locations.

Even though the black sunflower seeds turned pink after being treated with the drug, the gray squirrels still didn’t care. Research will continue over the next year to monitor gray squirrel behavior and reproduction. At the same time, they will test whether DiazaCon has adverse effects on squirrels and whether predators have an effect.

Interesting things about squirrels

12. Interesting things about squirrels

Let’s explore interesting things about squirrels:

• In Greek, the word “Squirrel” is understood as “shadow tail”.
• Although they do not hibernate, squirrels still store seeds and acorns for the winter.
• Flexible hind legs help squirrels climb trees quickly.
• Male squirrel nose power: Smell female squirrels from 1 mile (1.6 km) away.
• The mating season is from February to May, each litter of mother squirrels gives birth to 2-4 babies.
• Squirrels’ front legs have four sharp toes to grip trees.
• Gray squirrels have a wide range, from the Eastern United States to the United Kingdom and South Africa.
• Squirrels are diverse with 285 species, distributed on every continent except Antarctica and Australia.
• Squirrels are capable of eating an amount of food equal to their body weight each week.
• Ability to jump up to 20 feet (6m).
• Squirrels use their tails as parachutes when jumping from heights.
• Arctic ground squirrels resist freezing during hibernation.
• Squirrel eyes are placed at head level to see behind.
• Iran announced it was a spy in 2007.
• Squirrels killed people in Los Angeles National Forest in 2013.
• Squirrels are smart and learn how to overcome obstacles.
• Squirrels can jump up to 20 feet (6m).
• The squirrel’s front legs have five separate toes.
• Squirrel participated in the movie “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” in 2005.
• The Nutty Narrows Bridge in Longview, Washington is named after a squirrel.
• Squirrels run at 30km/h, but most only run half that speed.

The shocking secret about squirrels

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